Aerosol dispensing devices



Oct. 3, 1967 c. R. M. GRAHAM AEROSOL DISPENSING DEVICES Filed March 1, 1966 INVENTOR CECIL R. I"). GRHH/W FIG.7

United States Patent AEROSOL DISPENSING DEVICES Cecil Robert Montgomery Graham, Lagonda Ave., Killara, near Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Filed Mar. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 530,840 Claims priority, application Australia, Mar. 2, 1965, 55,783/ 65 7 Claims. (Cl. 222402.22)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved construction of liquid dispensing device for spraying liquid or semi-liquid substances in atomized form from a container under the action of a propellant is disclosed.

The invention is described in respect to a prior art construction in which there is provided a discharge tube which is adapted to extend downwardly into a container and which includes an upper or top portion fonmed as a retaining cup. A retaining cap is applied over the top of the cup and includes an opening for a discharge member which includes a discharge tube portion which extends through an opening in the top of the cap and is provided at its top end with an actuating button that provides a nozzle discharge for the liquid material. The discharge member includes a trough portion or cup-shaped flange Within the retaining cup which bear upwardly against the cap under the influence of a biasing spring disposed between the discharge member and a flanged portion or raised portion on the interior of the retaining cup immediately above the discharge tube which is inserted in the container.

The present invention is an improvement over the prior art inasmuch as a spring is not used to bias the discharge. member trough portion upwardly against the cap but instead a resiliently deformable element having an apex such as a pin is arranged centrally relative to the discharge axis of the discharge tube and disposed between the upper end of the discharge tube in the supporting member and provides a resiliently deformable element which causes the rim of .the trough of the suporting member to be urged upwardly toward sealing engagement with the cap. A feature of the construction is that the resiliently deformable element is arranged and constructed so that it applies a pressure over a substantially punctiform area between the cup flange andthe supporting member at a location on the axis of the discharge tube and it is centrally arranged in respect to the upward flow passage.

This invention relates to means for spraying liquid or semi-liquid substances in atomised form, from a container, under the action of a propellant, such. means comprising a discharge tube for the liquid which mostlybut not necessarily-projects from the top of the container, and the spraying means being operated either by angularly tilting the discharge tube device by finger pressure applied thereto, or by pushing the tube inwardly into the container.

In spraying devices of this type the discharge tube is mounted in a resiliently deformable sealing disc arranged for instance at the top of the container, the tube projecting outwardly from and inwardly into the container through said disc, and the outer end portion of said tube carrying a finger piece or head provided with an outlet aperture or nozzle.

In various known constructions the inner tube section is provided with a cupped flange, which may be conical, substantially conical or similar, and the outer edge of which normally engages the surface of the sealing disc, inside the container, the flange and the sealing disc defining between them an annular space connected to the interior 3,344,961 Patented Oct. 3, 1967 of the discharge tube by one or more than one aperture, orifice or the like. In some constructions this flange is made in one with the tube, with the flange may be constitated by a separate body suitably assembled with the discharge tube.

The above/mentioned flange prevents an undesired flow of liquid from the container to said aperture or orifice which in some cases acts as a metering means for the liquid to be ejected from the container, or to be atomised. If lateral finger pressure is to be applied to the aforementioned finger piece or head and the discharge tube is tilted, the flange is partly disengaged from the surface of the sealing disc so that, while the discharge tube is held in angularly tilted position, liquid can flow under the action of the propellant from the container-or from a space surrounding the flangeinto the discharge tube via said aperture or orifice, or through a plurality of the latter.

When the finger pressure on the head and on the discharge tube ceases, the tube is returned to its normal position and the cupped flange is made to re-engage the inner surface of the sealing disc and thereby to cut off the aperture, orifice or orifices from the interior of the container, the return of the flange to its normal position being effected in most known devices by a spring accommodated within a retaining cup or otherwise supported within the container, for instance within the top portion of the latter.

It has previously been proposed to make the discharge tube and the flange as well as the retaining cup or the like of synthetic material. The spring however which maintains these parts in their normal position, is made of steel or other metal and is there-fore subjected to corrosion and, due to such corrosion, the liquid is subjected to contamination in the course of time.

Even if the spring, which in all these cases is designed as a coil spring, were likewise made of synthetic plastic material, the problem still remains to design the spring so accurately that it applies an even pressure upon the partswhich it is meant to retain in the mutually correct position, to avoid leakage.

The present invention has for its object to provide an improved spraying device of the type above referred to for use on aerosol containers, which no longer depends for its operation on the use of a coil spring. According to the invention a resiliently deformable element having an apex, such as a pin, is so arranged centrally relative to the discharge tube between the latter and supporting member, e.g. a retaining cup, that its resiliency causes the rim of the cupped flange to be urged towards the sealing disc so as to seal thereagainst, the resiliently deformable element being so arranged and constructed that it applies a pressure over a substantially punctiform area between the cupped flange and the supporting member at a location on the axis of the discharge tube;

If the tube is closed at its inner end, the apex of the element may engage the end face or bottom of the tube centrally. If, on the other hand, the flange above referred to is constituted by a separate body assembled with the discharge tube, the apex of the resilient element may engage the end face of said body. Alternatively, the resiliently deformable element may be connected with the said end face of the closed tube bottom, or of said separate' body, and engage with its apex a support provided centrally in the outlet permitting the entry of liquid under pressure from the aerosol container into the interior of said retaining cup. g

If so desired the surface engaged by the apex of the resiliently deformable element may be provided centrally with a recess or equivalent for the purpose of locating the apex of the resilient element.

The resilient element thus replaces the aforementioned coil spring, as it supplies the force required for holding the flange-which is either made in one with the closed tube or is provided on said separate bodyin contact with the sealing disc which surrounds the discharge tube, at least to the time when the pressure within the aerosol container provides a force which assists in keeping the flange in contact with said disc thereby at least partly relieving the resilient element of the load thereon.

The resiliently deformable element may be integral with the retaining cup itself, e.g. be connected thereto by a spider-like centre piece provided in the bottom of the cup and made in one piece with the latter, e.g. by moulding. Alternatively the resiliently deformable element may be secured to the cup in any desired manner. Also it is possible to make the resilient element in one piece either with the closed discharge tube or with said separate body.

Moreover, it ispossible for the bottom of the retaining cup to be partially closed and for the pin to project centrally from said bottom, if the discharge end of the dip tube is connected elsewhere to the space of the retaining cup or to its equivalent.

The arrangement according to the invention can be used with advantage on spraying means having a discharge tube for use on an aerosol container, irrespective of whether the spraying means is to be operated by tilting the tube by lateral pressure, or by pushing it inwardly relative to the aerosol container.

In order to more particularly describe the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawing which illustrates some embodiments of the invention by way of example only, and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows in longitudinal section a known type of spray unit;

FIG. 2 shows in longitudinal section a similar spray unit embodying the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows in longitudinal section a spray unit similar to that according to Patent No. 3,098,589;

FIG. 5 shows in longitudinal section a spray unit similar to FIG. 4 but incorporating a modified embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 show in longitudinal section two more modifications of the invention.

In the figures of the drawings equivalent parts are designated by the same reference numerals which in the various embodiments of the invention are augmented by 100, or by multiples of 100.

Referring first to FIG. 1 same illustrates a known spraying device which includes a sealing disc 10 of a rubber or other resiliently deformable material inserted into a central cavity of a cap 12 adapted to be tightly secured to the neck of an aerosol container (not shown). The sealing disc 10 is held in position within said cavity by the end flange 11 of a retaining cup 13 which encases the control means proper of the spraying unit, and the bottom of which is provided centrally with a passage 14 which extends into the interior of the container and to which the conventional dip tube 15 is attached. The wall of the cap 12 is formed around its side with an annular bead 16 which engages beneath a shoulder 17 constituting the underside of the flange 11.

In the form shown the control means of the spraying device comprise a discharge tube 18 which is closed at its bottom and is made in one with a substantially conical flange 19 designed to bound a trough-like space 20 which surrounds the lower portion of the tube 18. The tube 18 is a gas-tight fit in a central aperture of the sealing disc 10 and it projects outwardly from said disc, with clearance, through an aperture 21 formed in the flat end 22 of the cap 12. The outward projecting length of the discharge tube 18 carries the usual finger piece or head 23, the cavity 24 of which communicates with a narrow outlet 25 or spray nozzle. A metering aperture 26 connects the trough-like space 20 bounded by the flange 19 with the interior of the tube 18.

A coil compression spring 27 is accommodated between the bottom of the retaining cup 13 and the underside 28 of the flange 19, the spring 27 being secured in position by cylindrical extensions 29 and 30 which projects towards each other from the underside of the flange 19 and from the bottom of the cup 13, respectively.

By the action of the spring 27 the flange 19 is urged towards the sealing disc 10 so that the edge 31 of the flange is normally made to engage the underside of the disc 10. Thus no liquid from the interior of the container will emerge from the dis-charge tube 18 and from the outlet 25 while the whole periphery of the flange 19 is held tightly against the sealing disc 10 by the resiliency of the compression spring 27.

Only if the discharge tube is forced inwardly into the retaining cup 13, by finger pressure applied to the head 23, and is either angularly tilted or pushed inwardly, the liquid under pressure will flow from the aerosol container through the passage 14, the interior space of the cup 13, over the edge 31 over at least a portion of the flange 19 into the trough 20 and thence via the metering hole 26, the tube 18, the cavity 24 and the outlet 25.

Experience has shown that, for the degree of compression of the spring 27 in its normal, expanded condition, which it is possible to adopt for the comfortable handling of a spraying head, and more particularly for aerosol products under comparatively low pressure, ,a certain leakage of the contents of the container is practically unavoidable. This may cause, particularly under unfavorable conditions, a substantial loss of the product in the course of time and, depending on the nature of the product, sometimes also other inconveniences such as an undesired smell. This drawback is due to the inherent asymmetry of coil springs which produces an uneven distribution of the pressure around the circumference of the surface portion 28 engaged by the spring.

This drawback is avoided in the spraying device according to the present invention in which a substantially punctiform pressure is applied, centrally, to the flange which together with the rubber or other resiliently compressible disc provides the required seal for the aerosol container.

In one embodiment of a spray unit according to the invention shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, which in construction resembles that shown in FIG. 1, a pin 132 is made in one piece with the retaining cup 113, the pin 132 extending upwardly from the bottom 133 of the cup centrally along the longitudinal axis A of the passage 114. The pin 132 is held in position within the outlet from the passage 114 by arms 134 arranged in spider fashion, which between them leave ducts 135 through which the pressurized aerosol product can emerge from the passage 114 into the retaining cup 113.

Like the retaining cup 113, the pin 132 also consists of resiliently compressible synthetic material and it is of a length which is suflicient to engage the centre of the underside 128 of the flange 119 which, as in the known embodiment described above, is made in one with the discharge tube 118 of the spraying device. Tests carried out with spraying devices as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 have shown that such leakage as was observed with known spray units is completely avoided.

A further embodiment of a spraying device according to the invention shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing closely resembles a known spraying device described in Patent No. 3,098,589. The known device according to the patent diifers from those described above in that the flange 219 is made separate from the discharge tube 218 and is attached to an apertured flange 236 surrounding the lower portion of the discharge tube 218 by snap action. The other features which distinguish the known assembly of the discharge tube 218 with the sealing flange 219 are not relevant to the present invention but can be understood from the specification of the abovementioned patent.

As distinct from the known device, however, in the device according to the invention shown in FIG. 4, a pin 232 is made in one piece from resiliently deformable material with the retaining cup 213 and extends upward from the bottom 233 of the cup 213, centrally along the longitudinal axis A of the passage 214. The pin 232 is held in position within the outlet from the passage 214 by arms 234 arranged in spider fashion, which between them leave ducts 235 through which the aerosol product under pressure can emerge from the passage 214 into the retaining cup 213. The pin 232 is again of a length which is suflicient to engage the centre of the underside 228 of the body 237 formed with the flange 219, and it engages the very centre of the underside 228 of that body.

As will be seen from FIG. 4 it may be convenient to provide a shallow recess 238 centrally in the underside of the body 237 to receive the apex of the pin 232 and thereby to avoid slippage of that apex along the face 228 during the application of outside pressure on the spraying head.

Numerous tests carried out with the device have shown that leakage from aerosol containers during non-use is completely avoided.

FIGS. 5 and 6, show a variant of the last described unit, which differs therefrom in that the pin 332 is made in one with the body 337 and extends centrally and upward from the bottom 328 of the latter. 'In this case a support 339 is provided inside the outlet from the passage 314, the support 339 being made in one, with the retaining cup and held in the centre of said outlet by arms 334 which between them leave ducts 335 for the liquid entering the cup 313 from the passage 314. The top face of the support 339 is formed with a shallow recess 338 which in the assembled spraying device accommodates the apex of the pin 332.

The function and operation of the device described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 is the same as described above.

FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment wherein the pin-which in the embodiments according to FIGS. 2 and 4 is solid-is replaced by a thin-walled, conical element 432 formed in one of resiliently compressible material with the retaining cup 413. The thin-walled element is formed with a number of apertures 435 through which the pressurised liquid product contained in the aerosol container can emerge from the latter through the passage 414 and into the space of the cup 413.

A variant of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 is illustrated in FIG. 8. In this variant the conical, thin-walled element 532 is made separate from the retaining cup 513. It is provided along its periphery with an annular flange 540 secured within an annular recess 541 which surrounds the outlet from the pasage 514, for instance by a suitable cement.

I desire it to be understood that I do not wish protection by Letters Patent to be limited to the aforedescribed details, as these can be further modified within the scope and ambit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An aerosol container with an outlet for the aerosol contents thereof, comprising in combination: a sealing disc within the container in sealing contact with a portion of the container around said outlet, an aperture in the sealing disc, an aerosol discharge tube which has an outlet opening, the tube passing through the container outlet with clearance, being a tight fit in said aperture and being displaceable relative to the container outlet, an outer part of the discharge tube projecting through the aperture outward from, and an inner part of the tube projecting inwardly into, the aerosol container; a cupped flange disposed around the inner part of the discharge tube, said flange having a circumferential rim and defining together with said inner part an annular space; an orifice in said discharge tube which connects said annular space with the interior of the tube and with said outlet opening; a supporting member within the container at a distance from the discharge tube and a resiliently deformable element so arranged between the supporting member and the discharge tube that its resiliency causes the rim of the cupped flange to be urged towards the sealing disc so as to seal thereagainst, the resiliently deformable element being arranged and constructed so that it applies a pressure over a substantially punctiform area between the cupped flange and the supporting member at a location on the axis of the discharge tube, said resiliently deformable element being constituted by a pin made in one with said supporting member.

2. An aerosol container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pin is arranged within said passage and is united with the retaining cup by a spider-like member.

3. An aerosol container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pin is arranged within said passage and is united with the retaining cup by radial arms.

4. An aerosol container with an outlet for the aerosol contents thereof, comprising in combination: a sealing disk within the container in sealing contact with a portion of the container around said outlet, an aperture in the sealing disk, an aerosol discharge tube which has an outlet opening, the tube passing through the container outlet with clearance, being a tight fit in said aperture and being displaceable relative to the container outlet, an outer part of the discharge tube projecting through the aperture outward from, and an inner part of the tube projecting inwardly into, the aerosol container; a cupped flange disposed around the inner part of the discharge tube, said flange having a circumferential rim and defining together with said inner part an annular space; an orifice in said discharge tube which connects said annular space with the interior of the tube and with said outlet opening; a supporting member within the container at a distance from the discharge tube and a resiliently deformable element so arranged between the supporting member and the discharge tube that its resiliency causes the rim of the cupped flange to be urged towards the sealing disk so as to seal thereagainst, the resiliency deformable element being arranged and constructed so that it applies a pressure over a substantially punctiform area between the cupped flange and the supporting member at a location on the axis of the discharge tube, said supporting member being constituted by a retaining cup which is secured to the container and is provided with an aerosol passage which connects the interior of the container with the interior of the cup, the retaining cup having an edge in sealing engagement with the sealing disk, said resiliently deformable element being constituted by a thin-walled, conical element made in one with the retaining cup and formed with at least one hole which connects said passage with the interior of the retaining cup, the conical element having its apex on the axis of the discharge tube.

5. An aerosol container with an outlet for the aerosol contents thereof, comprising in combination: a sealing disk within the container in sealing contact with a portion of the container around said outlet, an aperture in the sealing disk, an aerosol discharge tube which has an outlet opening the tube passing through the container outlet with clearance, being a tight fit in said aperture and being displaceable relative to the container outlet, an outer partof the discharge tube projecting through the aperture outward from, and an inner part of the tube projecting inwardly into, the aerosol container; a cupped flange disposed around the inner part of the discharge tube, said flange having a circumferential rim and defining together with said inner part an annular space; an orifice in said discharge tube which connects said annular space with the interior of the tube and with said outlet opening; a supporting member within the container at a distance from the discharge tube and a resiliently deformable element so arranged between the supporting member and the discharge tube that its resiliency causes the rim of the cupped flange to be urged towards the sealing disk so as to seal thereagainst, the resiliently deformable element being arranged and constructed so that it applies a pressure over a substantially punctiform area between the cupped flange and the supporting member at a location on the axis of the discharge tube, said supporting member being constituted by a retaining cup which is secured to the container and is provided with an aerosol passage which connects the interior of the container with the interior of the cup, the retaining cup having an edge in sealing engagement with the sealing disk, said resilient- 1y deformable element being constituted by a thin-walled, conical element secured to the bottom of the retaining cup around said passage and formed with at least one hole which connects said passage with the interior of the retaining cup, the conical element having its apex on the axis of the discharge tube.

6. A spraying device for an aerosol container comprising a flat sealing disk having an aperture therein, a discharge tube extending through the aperture in sealing engagement with said disk, a cup-shaped flange member having its periphery in engagement with said disk and defining an enclosed annular space around said tube below said disk, a passage communicating with the space around said disk and the interior of said discharge tube, a retaining cup having an upper annular edge portion in sealing engagement with said disk and including a lower portion with a passage adapted to extend downwardly into the container for receiving liquid to be discharged, and a resiliently deformable element disposed between said retaining cup and said cup-shaped flange member and supporting said cup-shaped flange member in a manner to resiliently bias the rim of said cup-shaped flange member against said sealing disk, said resiliently deformable element being constructed and arranged so that it applies a pressure over a substantially punctiform area between said cup-shaped flange member and said retaining cup at a location on the axis of said discharge tube, said discharge tube being made in one piece with said cupped flange and being closed at the end opposite the end containing the outlet opening; and wherein said resiliently deformable element 1s made 1n one piece with said supporting member and is constituted by a pin or by a thinwalled cone having an apex which operatively engages the center of the closed end of the discharge tube.

7. A spraying device for an aerosol container comprising a flat sealing disk having an aperture therein, a discharge tube extending through the aperture in sealing engagement with said disk, a cup-shaped flange member having its periphery in engagement with said disk and defining an enclosed annular space around said tube below said disk, a passage communicating with the space around said disk and the interior of said discharge tube, a retaining cup having an upper annular edge portion in sealing engagement with said disk and including a lower portion with a passage adapted to extend downwardly into the container for receiving liquid to extend downwardly into the container for receiving liquid to be discharged, and a resiliently deformable element disposed between said retaining cup and said cup-shaped flange member and supporting said cup-shaped flange member in a manner to resiliently bias the rim of said cup-shaped flange member against said sealing disk, said resiliently deformable element being constructed and arranged so that it applies a pressure over a substantially punctiform area between said cup-shaped flange member and said retaining cup at a location on the axis of said discharge tube, said cupped flange being made in one piece with an element secured to the discharge tube by snap action; and wherein said resiliently deformable element is made in one piece with said supporting member and is constituted by a pin or by a thin-walled cone having an apex which operatively engages the center of the closed end of the discharge tube.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,752,066 6/1956 Ayres 222--402.13 X 2,881,808 4/1959 St. Germain 222402.22 X 3,098,589 7/1963 Graham 222402.22 3,123,261 3/1964 Gorman 222402.24 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,040,464 10/ 1958 Germany.

413,220 7/1934 Great Britain. 90,565 4/ 1959 Netherlands.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primkzry Examiner. 

1. AN AEROSOL CONTAINER WITH AN OUTLET FOR THE AEROSOL CONTENTS THEREOF, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A SEALING DISC WITHIN THE CONTAINER IN SEALING CONTACT WITH A PORTION OF THE CONTAINER AROUND SAID OUTLET, AN APERTURE IN THE SEALING DISC, AN AEROSOL DISCHARGE TUBE WHICH HAS AN OUTLET OPENING, THE TUBE PASSING THROUGH THE CONTAINER OUTLET WITH CLEARANCE, BEING A TIGHT FIT IN SAID APERTURE AND BEING DISPLACEABLE RELATIVE TO THE CONTAINER OUTLET, AN OUTER PART OF THE DISCHARGE TUBE PROJECTING THROUGH THE APERTURE OUTWARD FROM, AND AN INNER PART OF THE TUBE PROJECTING INWARDLY INTO, THE AEROSOL CONTAINER; A CUPPED FLANGE DISPOSED AROUND THE INNER PART OF THE DISCHARGE TUBE, SAID FLANGE HAVING A CIRCUMFERENTIAL RIM AND DEFINING TOGETHER WITH SAID INNER PART AN ANNULAR SPACE; AN ORIFICE IN SAID DISCHARGE TUBE WHICH CONNECTS SAID ANNULAR SPACE WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE TUBE AND WITH SAID OUTET OPENING; A SUPPORTING MEMBER WITHIN THE CONTAINER AT A DISTANCE FROM THE DISCHARGE TUBE AND A RESILIENTLY DEFORMABLE ELEMENT SO ARRANGED BETWEEN THE SUPPORTING MEMBER AND THE DISCHARGE TUBE THAT ITS RESILIENCY CAUSES THE RIM OF THE CUPPED FLANGE TO BE URGED TOWARDS THE SEALING DISC SO AS TO SEAL THEREAGAINST, THE RESILIENTLY DEFORMABLE ELEMENT BEING ARRANGED AND CONSTRUCTED SO THAT IT APPLIES A PRESSURE OVER A SUBSTANTIALLY PUNCTIFORM AREA BETWEEN THE CUPPED FLANGE AND THE SUPPORTING MEMBER AT A LOCATION ON THE AXIS OF THE DISCHARGE TUBE, SAID RESILIENTLY DEFORMABLE ELEMENT BEING CONSTITUTED BY A PIN MADE IN ONE WITH SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER. 